Falling Star
by lyrainthedark
Summary: Out of the dark of the night, seeking the core of the light...the most precious heart, the most beautiful gift. Dark AU.
1. Chapter 1

I.

Loud As A Whisper

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The loneliest hearts are always the most delicious.

_This scent, what is it?_

Melancholia, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…blood to rust.

_This is the smell of solitude._

Dreams dead-ended, the desires of the hopeless turned out of mind and into madness left to settle, tarnish, disappear.

_This is the odor of agony's ache._

Female, unfortunate, too lost in her own failure to see the truth, one of those with eyes long clouded by the gray veil of unkind words.

_This is the fragrance of the feast. _

Howl parts perfect lips to speak the spell, but it comes back to him with none of its power spent. What prey is this? What barrier blocks his way?

Closer he comes, and closer, until he can see that there is a curse already on her – a curse that runs in the thick of her blood.

_Daughter of a seventh daughter, eldest of three._

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A/N: Part one of ten, of a completed series that follows a dark divergence from the usual canon. Enjoy, and

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	2. Chapter 2

II.

Unnatural Selection

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The smile drifts on Sophie's face, smoke and water, mirror and glass. She puts down one hat, picks up another – laughter drifts in from outside, low voices, feet running, and she stills. The water falls out of the glass; the mirror breaks.

She considers her_self_, then breaks off from such terrible contemplation – she makes her way out of the shop, into the street, and once she is there she stands for a moment, merely being. _Outside, for a while_. Her feet begin to move without her noticing, carrying her away from home and shop and out into the surging tide of people, across one road and down another.

_Soldiers_. She sees them and turns to avoid them – sees more and turns to avoid those too. She is guided, gently, slowly, unaware that this is so, until she comes to a dark dead end and turns abruptly, wondering, confused.

When she turns, meaning to go back, he is before her, has come out of nowhere, with not even a breath of displaced air.

She knows him, though she has never seen him before – knows him before he speaks.

_Heart-eater. _

_Howl._

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A/N: Lost my internet for a bit there, horrible. However, this fic is complete, so more...very soon!


	3. Chapter 3

III.

Force of Nature

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"Did I frighten you, pretty one?"

The girl is still as water on a windless day. He can read her thoughts on her face, so easy – _no one has ever called me pretty_, and _shouldn't be here, dressed like this, didn't even brush my hair, dust on my feet – _she is lovely, pure and lovely. The taste of all her many innocences is rich and bright on the air between them, and he smiles for her, smiles the way no woman can resist, and bows.

"No one has ever called you pretty? But I did, pretty one, didn't I?"

The girl starts backwards, away from the fingers that are reaching out for her cheek, but he laughs when she finds her back pressed against the wall of the alley.

"I - you - I didn't meant to say that out loud, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry -"

"Hush, flower, glowfly - is that enough to reassure you? Pretty one, I said, and I did mean it…and _you…_you spoke only to yourself, only in your mind - but that doesn't mean I didn't hear you."

She stares, and he smiles. This time she doesn't move away from the hand that reaches for her.

"You know who I am, don't you?"

He knows she does. He saw it on her face. She licks her lips and he leans forward, sucks in the breath on which she speaks his name.

"You – you're Howl."

"_Good girl_."

"Have you come to eat my heart?"

This time his laughter is silent, all for himself. He steps closer, closes the last distance between them, stands toe to toe with her, leaning forward to press his chest against her breasts.

"Do you want me to?"

She shudders.

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A/N: Soon...or immediate? Who can tell! More tomorrow, and do

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	4. Chapter 4

IV.

To Thine Own Self Be True

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Sophie holds her thoughts as motionless as she can. If she doesn't – if she even thinks an answer – he'll know it. He'll know it, she's sure.

That _no_ does not come to her easily, eagerly, does not crawl onto her tongue without delay or due process – the meaning of that has already sealed her fate. If the answer is not _no_, does that make it yes? Does she want him to prove his words, reach into her chest, rip out her heart and –

But the _and_ does not form. She cannot picture Howl's sharp and beautiful face distorted or stained with blood.

If he eats her heart it will be pristine and painless and perfect.

_Won't it, wizard Howl?_

He smiles at her, the proof that he has read the thought, leans forward and murmurs a word against her lips before he kisses her.

"_Yes_."

He tastes of the sky, smoke and rain and dark, hot mystery. He pulls away far too quickly, leaves her licking her lips for the taste of him.

"Give me your heart, glowfly."

_Pretty one_.

_Beautiful darling._

He already has it. He already possesses everything of it she knows how to give.

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A/N: Part 4 of 10...more tomorrow my dears, and

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	5. Chapter 5

V.

Up The Long Ladder

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_I want the rest. I want to swallow you whole. _

He plucks her life from her mind – name and home and parents, sisters, fears…desires. Only one thing, bright and gleaming more than all her other thoughts, stands out to him.

_Kiss me again, wizard Howl. _

Is there any reason not to obey? The taste of her heart is on her lips, many gorgeous flavors, all tipped now with desire, with his name. She knows nothing of pleasure but his kiss is heat to her, and in the knowing of it Howl has heat for himself, his own urges wakened.

A wild flutter of wings rises in the back of his consciousness, dark thoughts, endless desire. He presses her back against the cold wall and drinks her whimpers from their source, holds tight to her hips because he has no need to hold her hands.

She is drawing him closer, ever closer, fingers threaded through his hair, tight on the back of his neck. Her mind is a wild starburst, supernova, draws him in many directions with all the things she is thinking, all the things she tries to keep from thinking and cannot.

Howl uses his grip on her hips to drag her skirt up to her thighs – higher – higher – she lets out a soft little cry, and her thoughts are racing again, but he lifts her up and presses her against the wall, holds her there and grins up from between her thighs.

"There's many and more things better than anything you know, glowfly."

He touches his tongue to her just once, and her legs draw in close around his back to keep him there.

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A/N Continuing on...more tomorrow!

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	6. Chapter 6

VI.

Half A Life

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"If you stay it's all over for you, you know."

Conversational, even while he holds her against the wall, eyes level with the secret core of her, tongue reaching out to touch her again and again.

_Beautiful_. She thinks the word but doesn't say it, but that doesn't matter. Silence can't keep her secrets any more - not from this man, the ruthless shadow that hovers beneath her. Ancient instincts beat sharply in her throat for a moment.

Run, run, run because he is giving you a chance, because this is the only chance, because what else is there, really?

But it is that last question that stops her. What else is there, really? The life that she left behind at home - or this curious chance with its sharp smile?

"I don't want to run from you. Please don't make me."

And her voice is as pleading as her words.

He dips his head – absolution, agreement, avarice.

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A/N: Deeper and deeper the doom she makes for herself...having drawn his attention, and seeking now to keep it. Bwaha! More tomorrow, and of course

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	7. Chapter 7

VII.

Shadow Dancing

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Howl spreads her sex open with his thumbs, feels her shiver in his grasp. He holds her half with magic and half with his own strength, wants to feel her shaking when the truth of what pleasure means comes over her. She is open for him, wet already and not from his tongue.

He focuses his attention on the rigid pearl hiding in her softness, draws his tongue over it again and again, until he can feel her thighs quivering with tension.

Slow, then. His tongue dips inward, explores the clenching heat of her body, then the soft folds that hide it. Her hands tug at his hair, eager now and all but wanton, but they do not call him _heartless Howl_ for nothing.

She is begging out loud by the time he returns to the nerves that want his attention most. When he touches his tongue to them, wraps his lips around them, _then_ she can't take it – then she comes undone. He sucks gently, just the tip of his tongue moving now, and she wriggles wildly in his grasp.

"No more, no more – no, don't, don't, don't, don't _stop_ –"

He waits until all her cries resolve to shallow panting before he leans back, licks his lips and lets her sink down to her feet, then her knees, in the dark alleyway.

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A/N: As always, more tomorrow!

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	8. Chapter 8

VIII.

Best Of Both Worlds

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On her knees, shaking, Sophie can only think that if this is the curse she was born for, maybe she should have picked an earlier day to die.

_So good_. Sensations outside her experience – her heart was beating fast as a bird in her chest, and she wondered if, when he took it…

"Have I not already, _Sophie_?"

Her heart lurches at the sound of her name in that beautiful voice – more so than at _pretty one_ or _glowfly_ or _darling_.

"You have – you have – all yours – "

She nearly asks him what he means to do – here, now, on the cold ground, but her skirt is still caught up around her thighs and the wet of his tongue is still chill on her skin, her body still clenching, empty, wanting – wanting – _you, Howl. What you will do. _

But he does not touch her again – not yet. He draws his fingers across her gaze and she sucks in a breath, takes a step backward. Dark space all around her, no limits, no floor, no ceiling, no vanishing point. He takes her by the hand, and she feels dark wings around her, sees black feathers blotting out the rest of that black view.

When they move she is in a glowing space – great bed at her back, and the wizard before her, and the thousand amulets and auguries of his position all around her, hanging, chiming, shining in light that comes from nowhere to brighten the tangle.

She feels silk under her, against her skin, and has a moment to wonder how this is happening, what great powers he possesses, before Howl is naked against her, hard pressure, hard presence, his hands at her wrists now and his mouth on her mouth, his kiss as sharp as a knife.

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A/N: More tomorrow, and of course

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	9. Chapter 9

IX.

Deconstruction

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He takes her clothes from her, her certainty, her understanding of events and order, kicks logic out of the nest and cracks open chaos. Naked, he presses her against his own bed, feels the dark wind come from the empty places behind him and wrap over his skin.

Power is here, and safety, and all that he desires below him, beating in the breast of this girl who should have followed the lesson of her name. _Sophie - that is wisdom. But, you, pretty one, you are all but a fool._ He knows what she wants – _remember me. _Beneath everything else, that hope is there, wrapped around the pleasure she still feels at having been noticed. He will remember her taste – he hopes that is enough to please her.

Wet for him, ready for him, she opens her thighs without question to let him in. She reaches up to hold him, wraps her legs around his back and urges him forward. He thrusts slowly, leisurely, takes his time building his pleasure while her body squeezes tight and tighter around him.

The moment is close now – he can feel it rising beneath her skin. _All of you, Sophie. Give up, give over, give in. _The beating of her heart is a hummingbird's wings now, closer, all but bursting – just for him.

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A/N: Only one part left, though I debate with myself over adding an epilogue...we'll see. Until tomorrow dears, and

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	10. Falling Star

X.

Falling Star

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Sophie breathes, and the air is fire. He is deep insider her, deep in body and mind – she feels him moving there, stroking her thoughts as he strokes her skin, drawing out pleasure into starfire sensation flesh was never meant to feel.

He pulls her up, and she sinks down onto his thighs, the rigid intrusion of maleness, deeper…_more_. His hands hold her hips, move her up and down again, help her along until she is moving herself, then slip up to her breasts, plucks at her nipples, their dark-flushed points.

Empty of all things but feeling, nerves stretched to their breaking point, she reaches out for his face and grabs him, pulls him close and steals one thing that is just for herself – one more terrible, perfect kiss. He spills heat inside her as she does so, and she feels pleasure the likes of which she had never even dreamed.

Haunting. _Madness._

She sees her heart as it rises out of her chest, a lump of burning, flame more than flame, light more than bright.

He lifts his hands to the coal of it and cups it, brings it close. She watches even to the last minute, even as he swallows it, licks his lips of embers – then, _then_, she falls, clinging still to his final smile.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay - microsoft word is NOT happy with me these days. Enjoy the inevitability of the end, and

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	11. Chapter 11

XI.

Epilogue: Impact

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_Impact._

To love what does not belong to you.

To love what does not exist.

_Heartless, Howl_.

And yet…

What is this fire? It caresses her, filaments of moonbeams burning beneath her skin. She shapes words without lips, and they filter outward…outward…

Somewhere, something is beating.

Somewhere, out of the darkness, there is born a single point of light.

_Since the beginning. I have been waiting here…since the beginning!_

Sophie looks up from _somewhere_ and sees the sky start to fall...and the boy. The boy before he was heartless. The boy, before he swallows a star, as she watched him swallow her heart.

_Impact_…

And yet she remains.

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A/N: So...here is that epilogue. This fic is now truly complete, but keep an eye out for a sequel to be released in the next few days!

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